Stoltz is amazing. He has a range that few actors can comfortably portray.

Both Tamara and Zoe are solely mentioned in Caprica. Vworld and STO also never make it into BSG, but there seems to be a connection between the Cylon ability to project whatever image they want onto their surroundings and holoband tech. It appears that Zoe was recruited by her boyfriend at the time to build a software version of a person that can persist after death, thus giving the STO a marketable "afterlife" that they can attribute to their belief in the one god. I think the bombing in the pilot was directed by Barnabas in attempt to take out Clarice's progeny and generally increase his influence in STO, though that is just speculation. I think the existence of Zoe's afterlife program was very secret within STO and certainly not known to Barnabas, who probably just saw Zoe as someone who could greatly increase Clarice's influence & funding by her father's position as head of a gargantuan software/hardware corporation.

Jospeh Adama is Commander (later Admiral) Adama's father, previously mentioned as a well-known, if little-liked, criminal defense attorney. His protege, Romo Lampkin, plays a significant role in the last two seasons.